Tonsillectomy Recovery Time
After a lifetime of tonsillitis, it was time. I made the appointment. Was I scared? Yes. Was I prepared for tonsillectomy recovery? NO. Can you be? YES!
Planning for and recovering from a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedure, (often referred to as T & A Surgery), can be daunting experiences. The days leading up to your surgery can be frightening. If you haven’t read up yet, you can find information on tonsillectomy methods, risks, costs, adult tonsillectomy, sleep apnea, and numerous tips for tonsillectomy recovery on the other pages of this site. I’ve even added pictures of a post tonsillectomy throat by each day. Study, talk with your doctor and consult with your friends about the decision to undergo tonsillectomy and adenoid surgery. Explore the pages created here to aid in your journey.
If you should decide to have tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, let us help you through the entire process. Whether due to problems with sleep apnea, chronic tonsillitis and strep throat, tonsil stones, trouble swallowing, or a combination thereof, you can benefit from the experience of others. My own experience taught me that, as patients, we need to advocate for ourselves. Ear, nose, and throat doctors are, by and large, extremely talented individuals. However, very few of them have experienced an adult tonsillectomy, and the subsequent recovery. I have. Many others have too. We share our experiences here at the adult tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy recovery resource center. As you’ll read in the tonsillectomy recovery forum, everyone’s experience is unique. There are many factors that influence the level of pain you experience, as well as the length of time required during recovery. The method, and skill of your surgeon can have an affect, but there are also many things within your control that will reduce pain and recovery time. I’ve tried to include as many helpful tips as possible within the pages of this online resource. Tonsillectomy recovery can be pretty rough, especially if you are unlucky enough to be an adult! It takes longer for an adult to recover from most things. Tonsillectomy is no exception. There are many things you can do to make it go more smoothly. I’ve published numerous tips here on various pages. I encourage you to read up BEFORE you are in the throws of tonsillectomy recovery.
Talk with your doctor, friends, family, and work as you prepare. You are not alone in this. Like you and like me, many others are facing or have faced a tonsillectomy recovery. I created this forum for you. The community of adults or parents of patients will amaze you and warm your heart. I read these comments every day and every day I am humbled by everyone’s story and their compassion for others in the midst of recovery, or the anxiety that often precedes a tonsillectomy. Please join in. Hundreds of other people, perhaps in your same situation, have shared their wisdom, concerns, tips, and questions about tonsillectomy, as well as their tonsillectomy recovery.
-Greg My short bio
Hi all,
Just had my tonsils out yesterday and in doing pre-op research, found this forum to be fantastic for advise. It was spread over multiple posts though so I thought I’d consolidate it all and add my own for those about to go into surgery.
ABOUT MY SURGERY:
My surgery was done in New York City and I was lucky enough to have my tonsils almost entirely lasered out. Not “smoothed”, which can be done in an ENTs office, but removed entirely under general anesthetic, using a laser as opposed to scalpel). This REMARKABLY improves the recovery process and one day into my recovery and feel relatively ok. No complications as laser cauterizes the wounds whilst cutting and significantly reduces bleeding. For those of you in New York, my doctor was Doctor Krespi ). I highly recommend him and the staff at New york Head and Neck Institute/Lennox Hill hospital are wonderful.
SHOPPING LIST
Prescribed medical:
• Vicodin / Percocet
• Lidocaine Oral Rinse (rinse and gargle, do not swallow)
Over-the-counter medical:
• Miralax (if you’re congested)
• Zofran (if you’re nauseous)
Recommended Food:
• Chicken broth
• Applesauce
• Jello (pre-made cups)
• Lactose-free protein shakes. My preferred brand for good taste and easy to drink: Lite Vanilla Muscle Milk (lightly refrigerated as it helps make it taste better)
• Popsicles (frozen)
• Mineral Water (non-sparkling). Tap water can be harsh in some areas. 16oz/500ml/1pt. are better as easier to drink from.
• Orbit Sugar-free chewing gum (it’s the softest brand that won’t flake off and irritate throat). Spearmint flavour, least harsh on your throat. Remember to only chew gum for 2-3 mins as any longer that that begins to dry out your mouth and counter the salivation effects.
• Chicken noodles
• Pasta with olive oil/butter
• Scrambled eggs
• Try to avoid pure diary products (i.e. ice-cream) as it builds thicker mucus in your throat. And you don’t want to be couching/clearing your throat at all.
Non-medical:
• Short bendy straws for drinking the water and protein shakes. Lightly sucking through a straw is easier on the throat muscles than sipping from the bottle or sucking on a nozzle cap.
• Note pad to communicate…as you should rest your voice as much as possible.
• Neck pillow. The non-inflatable types are more comfortable.
• Ice packs. Preferably with cloth around.
• Humidifier
• TOP TIP: Mouth Sponges! Ask your hospital/recovery room for these. Small sponges on sticks. Use a new sponge for each day of recovery. Keep it in a glass of cool mineral water. Insert into mouth and suck gently to keep mouth irrigated.
Other fun stuff:
• DVDs
• Books
• Magazines
Advise:
• Try not to breathe through your mouth when sitting/napping as it dries out your mouth.
• Sleep propped up as it helps with drainage down the back of your throat.
• Lots of pillows.
• Keep drinking. More than usual. Use mouth-sponges.
• Cold compress on throat, jaw and ear (for tooth and ear pain).
• Cold/Heated wet washcloth in my microwave for 30 seconds…depending on your own preference.
• Take hot, steamy showers and breathe to ensure throat doesn’t dry out.
For those having deviated septum fixed at the same time:
• Be patient with “packing” until doctor removes it. Don’t try to remove yourself at home.
• Don’t touch your nose as very sensitive and can easily cause bleeding.
• Buy saline spray solution for irrigation.
• Stay close to humidifier and breathe through nose as often as you can to keep nasal passages moist.
Hope this helps any new readers. Thanks to all for your advise that helped compile this list. Wishing you all a swift recovery!
Im 6 days post op and keep hoping the end is in site, but then it seems to never end. I threw up several times last night and cant keep anything down. Im afraid to eat, drink, take meds for fear of being sick. I really thought this would be like a bad case of strep, boy was I wrong…when is this going to end. My poor kids dont understand, heck I think my husband starting to not understand.
I feel your pain! I am on day 6 as well. I too have been throwing up. I’ve decided it is the pain meds. I’ve gone off of the hard stuff and to just liquid Tylenol. More pain but less nausea and throwing up. so far I prefer the pain. I have hardly any appetite but if I don’t eat it makes me feel bad. I also wonder when this will end!!! Do you have your voice back yet?
Call your doctor and ask for zofran! It works wonders for nausea and will allow you to take the stronger pain meds. After the fact, my doc told me he could have given me a patch for pain….don’t know why they don’t just give you those from the start.
Hi. 22 yr old female here. I’ve had asymmetrical tonsil swelling for about two months now. Never had tonsil problems before. Preparing for the removal of only my right tonsil in a few weeks. Your stories of recovery help. I know what to expect. Terrified of what’s to come. Have to have a biopsy done on the right tonsil as the ENT says asymmetrical tonsil swelling can be a sign of cancer. Hoping for the best, but I’m prepared for the worst. Glad I know what to expect for recovery though. Hopefully its easier since its only the right side being removed.
Hi there. I had my tonsils removed on July 19th and one of the main reasons why is because my tight tonsill was also huge. I got a nasty bout of tonsillitis and for some reason the right one would just not go back down despite numerous rounds of antibiotics. However it wss not cancer causing it just bacteria that had sealed itself off in the tonsil so that antibiotics couldn’t get at it. I too was rctremelyy nervous about having mine out and read and read the online forums beforehand. My experience has been a really good one and I hope yours is too. The main things i hsve been doing is drinking heaps and taking meds on tiime. Also in New Zealand the surgeons really encourage eating foods like sandwiches and toast from day two. The food brushing past keeps the scabs thin which means less pain and risk of bleedinge when the scabs fall off. Hthis has worked for me although it does contrast with what american patients are told. Good luck with your recovery.
This makes me feel much better about this! Thank you 🙂 hopefully I just have some bacteria stuck in there.
I had my tonsillectomy on 07/19 so this would be morning of post-op day 6. My pain hasn’t been any higher than a 5/10 since day 3 but I would say that the night of day 4 was the worst part of this experience–I was unable to eat enough to coat my stomach before taking my pain meds and I threw up 3x that night. But I guess throwing up helped because I haven’t needed anything more than a warm compress and lots of fluids to manage my pain for a over a day now. I started taking a stool softner 2x/day yesterday to help regulate my bowel movements and yesterday I had my longest stretch of sleep (only getting up once and it wasn’t pain related). Although I’ve been brushing my teeth and tongue 3x/day, I haven’t looked inside my throat to see whats going–mainly because my tongue is still swollen. But I think the scabs are there and possibly falling off– I constantly have a bad taste in my mouth. I’ve also lost 8lbs since the surgery and I’m guessing I’ll probably lose more because I have to stick to a soft foods diet until my post-op appointment in two weeks!
I am now day 7 post op and even though it has been painful at times, it would only be a 4-5 on a 1-10 scale. I have continued to drink lots and eat rougher foods and consider myself very lucky that I have been able to do this without being in agony. My scabs ate slowly coming off now and taste real gross but as of yet I have.t noticed any bleeding. The only other issue i have had excess saliva which I have started spitting into a cup, gross as this sounds. It is better than swallowing it all the time. I am so looking forward to eating normally again though and actually tasting my food.